


Hresvelg Rendezvous

by spools



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: -ish?, Canon Compliant, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route, Gen, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Time Skip, now im not saying this is a character study but like, they are just best girls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:00:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21856447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spools/pseuds/spools
Summary: Edelgard says something under her breath that Lysithea can’t hear, but for some reason, she doubts it’s malicious. “There is no doubt that what I strive for requires sacrifices. But it would be for the betterment of Fódlan,” Edelgard addresses with a sad smile. “I want to build a world where people like us won’t ever exist, where crests would be a thing of the past.”When the sun rises, Edelgard comes to Lysithea's room with a slice of cake and an offer.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & Lysithea von Ordelia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	Hresvelg Rendezvous

It's almost five in the morning, two hours after Lysithea jerked awake. Ever since Solon appeared, she'd been getting less and less sleep. If she did sleep, nightmares would force her back awake, so why not neglect it completely to study?

Textbooks lay sprawled across her desk. She hunches over the biggest one about ancient dark magic, annotating as she goes. 

Part of the reason why she hates her nightgown is because it's too cold and flimsy. Another reason is because she can see her arms laden with scars from punctures into her veins. Then, that reminds her of being trapped in a dark cell, begging them to let her out, to free her, that she'll do anything they want, and when she does do what they want, they leave her with a casual, _“Oh, your lifespan is four times shorter.” ___

__Lysithea grimaces when she scribbles outside the margin, on the text. Whatever. That spell was useless; concept intriguing but executed poorly, useful but not practical, kind of like her crests._ _

__The silence of the monastery only sends a chill down her spine. She despises night time for this reason. Silence was not comfort. Silence meant the absence of screams, it meant that her siblings were dead and they had to haunt the world, waiting for Lysithea to join them in due time._ _

__And they’ll watch over her as she lives, envying her _two _crests when they have none, wondering how Lysithea was allowed to live while they perish. When they claw at the door so often that it leaves marks, Lysithea is in the next room, her hair white and limbs malnourished, but undoubtedly alive.___ _

____Lysithea jolts up when there’s a rapid knock on her door. “Excuse me? Lysithea, are you awake?” It’s Edelgard._ _ _ _

____Edelgard is another mystery to Lysithea. Lysithea had heard before, of the graceful Adrestian princess with brown hair, but Edelgard arrived at the monastery with the same shock of white hair as her. What else could Lysithea assume, other than Edelgard had suffered the same horrors as her? But despite the power of two crests Lysithea suspects weakens her body, Edelgard stands tall and strong, powerful. Like she’s already been crowned emperor._ _ _ _

____Every time Lysithea attempted to talk to her about her crest, Edelgard merely shrugged it off, or Hubert threatened to maim her._ _ _ _

____“Why would I have two? That has never happened before in history,” Edelgard asked, voice edged with confusion. She conjured the Crest of Seiros on her palm. “I only inherited the Crest of Seiros,” she said._ _ _ _

____“That can’t be true—”_ _ _ _

____“Only the Crest of Seiros is passed down the Hresvelg bloodline. It would be foolish to assume that Lady Edelgard would have another crest in addition to this one,” Hubert said, his face — and there were no other words to describe this — terrifying. “Run along now.”_ _ _ _

____“Lysithea?” Edelgard tries again. She’s still at the door._ _ _ _

____“Yes! I’m here,” Lysithea says, scrambling to her feet. When she opens the door, Edelgard is dressed in her uniform, white hair neatly tied back. There’s never any color on Edelgard’s face, but now, Lysithea can see the faintest of dark circles under her eyes, and redness that dusts her cheeks._ _ _ _

____“I apologize if I woke you up,” Edelgard says. Instead of an axe in her hand, she holds a slice of cake frosted in red and gold._ _ _ _

____“I wasn’t asleep,” Lysithea replies, her eyes lighting up._ _ _ _

____Lysithea expects Edelgard to scold her for staying up so late, but Edelgard only nods. “I often find it hard to sleep, too. Some tea helps.”_ _ _ _

____“Tea doesn’t help,” Lysithea crosses her arms, “and I don’t appreciate you treating me like I’m a fragile child. You treat me that way because you know, don’t you? After I’ve tried to talk to you about it so much, you must surely know that I have two crests.”_ _ _ _

____“No. Why would I know?” Edelgard’s eyes say otherwise, but her face is rigid. She’s never caught off guard._ _ _ _

____“Feigning ignorance is even worse than being ignorant. Since you’re the next emperor, I expect you’d know everything about everyone. And you’d definitely know me, since House Ordelia was controlled by the Empire for quite some time.”_ _ _ _

____There’s a bit of a dry smile on Edelgard’s lips, but it’s not of amusement. It’s of sympathy. She definitely knows about Lysithea and how she only had ten years, give or take, left. Otherwise, why would she look so mournful?_ _ _ _

____“This cake is for you,” Edelgard says. “May I close the door? I’d like to talk to you about something.”_ _ _ _

____“Sure. Is the cake a bribe?” Lysithea asks, curiously watching as Edelgard walks to set the plate and a fork down on one of the books on her desk, then to soundlessly close the door. Edelgard stands by the entrance._ _ _ _

____“You can believe what you want to believe.”_ _ _ _

____“Then it’s just cake,” Lysithea says, sitting back down to her desk. She stabs a piece with her fork and takes a bite._ _ _ _

____“Do you like it?” Edelgard asks, watching Lysithea devour the cake on the spot. “It’s an old, traditional Adrestian recipe. I find it too sweet for my liking, but no one ever diverges from the recipes. They insist on sticking to tradition.”_ _ _ _

____“I like all cakes, no matter how sweet they are,” Lysithea replies, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. The frosting stains the cloth red, but too vibrant to look like blood. “That’s the point of cake, after all.”_ _ _ _

____“That’s good, then. Consider that my apology for seeking you out so early in the morning.”_ _ _ _

____“So it is a bribe.”_ _ _ _

____Edelgard gives another dry smile._ _ _ _

____“Do you know what day it is, Lysithea?” Edelgard asks, though she sounds like she knows the answer._ _ _ _

____“Day 29 of the Pegasus Moon,” Lysithea recites, setting her fork down onto the plate. “Lady Rhea,” Lysithea must have imagined the faintest of a grimace on Edelgard’s face, “wants the Golden Deer house to accompany Professor to the Holy Tomb in the afternoon.”_ _ _ _

____“Are you afraid?” Edelgard asks. “No one other than Rhea has gone there.”_ _ _ _

____“Never. As long as Professor is there.”_ _ _ _

____“It must be nice to have so much faith in them,” Edelgard muses. She throws a stray strand of hair over her shoulder. “I could never trust Professor Manuela as much.”_ _ _ _

____“You’re lucky I’m not a tattletale,” Lysithea warns._ _ _ _

____“It wouldn’t matter if you tell her or not, especially after today.”_ _ _ _

____“Why not?”_ _ _ _

____“Because I’m leaving,” Edelgard says. She isn’t one to kid around, and judging by the tone of her voice, Lysithea realizes that Edelgard is completely serious._ _ _ _

____“Why?”_ _ _ _

____“You’ll know soon enough,” Edelgard answers. She doesn’t look ashamed, she doesn’t look embarrassed, she doesn’t look angry or sad. Lysithea only sees the confident, natural face of a leader. Of an emperor._ _ _ _

____For some reason, that sets her at unease._ _ _ _

____“There must be more you want from me,” Lysithea accuses, crossing her arms. “There’s no way you only came here to vent to me about Professor Manuela and how you’re leaving Garreg Mach. There are other students in the Black Eagles house that you can talk to.”_ _ _ _

____Edelgard doesn’t deny it. She leans against the door, her white hair a striking contrast against the wood, and for some reason she looks relieved. “You know, I really see myself in you,” she says, wistfully. “You’re like—”_ _ _ _

____“Your little sister?” Lysithea scowls. “I just said, I don’t appreciate people treating me like a child. I can’t fathom that you forgot a conversation only minutes ago.”_ _ _ _

____“Not in that way, of course. It’s your ambition and impatience that I once had… I suppose I still have it.”_ _ _ _

____“Can you cut to the chase, please? There’s no use trying to flatter me.”_ _ _ _

____Edelgard gives a curt nod. “My apologies. I was wondering if you’d like to assist the Adrestian Empire.”_ _ _ _

____“You’re asking _me _?” Lysithea enunciates, astonished.___ _ _ _

______Edelgard sets her hand on her opposite shoulder and bows. “There is no doubt in my mind. You are, to put it simply, a genius in magic and leadership. You are more proficient than mages that have practiced magic for their entire lives. That’s why I must ask you, are you willing to lend your services to the Adrestian Empire?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“But I’m from the Leicester Alliance…” Lysithea trails off._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I am not asking for your past allegiance. I am asking for your current one. To me,” Edelgard says, catching her eye._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You wouldn’t ask for my help if you didn’t plan to do something,” Lysithea deduces. She rises to her feet, suppressing a shiver. “Given how you have clearly only sought me out for my combat abilities, it involves fighting. What are you planning?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Edelgard says something under her breath that Lysithea can’t hear, but for some reason, she doubts it’s malicious. “There is no doubt that what I strive for requires sacrifices. But it would be for the betterment of Fódlan,” Edelgard addresses with a sad smile. “I want to build a world where people like us won’t ever exist, where crests would be a thing of the past.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Lysithea sucks in a gasp. “You don’t mean to say that—”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I do have two crests, Lysithea. Your hypothesis was nothing but correct. You know what that means for you and I, do you not?” Edelgard asks._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Only a few more years left,” Lysithea murmurs. Now, the pink on Edelgard’s cheeks looks more like rouge hastily smeared on._ _ _ _ _ _

______They’re both walking corpses._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yes,” Edelgard says, a fire alight in her eyes. There is no levity in their situation. Right now, Edelgard burns with ambition, hunger for more. Hunger for her future. “In order to change the corrupt system that has overtaken our society, I need help. So, I must ask you again, Lysithea von Ordelia. Will you join me, Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg, to change the world?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Emperor…”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“You heard me correctly. I am not a princess anymore.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Lysithea’s hands start to shake. “Your Majesty, I—” Lysithea swallows and she recalls the dark room, the bars on the window, the hundreds of times she’d had her blood taken out and injected back in, the screams of her brother and her sister in the next room, and all the blood on her hands that she can’t ever wash away, so pigmented in comparison to her hair. How she’d desperately searched her whole life on how to remove the cursed crests, and maybe that would supply an apology to her brothers and sisters, who squeezed her hand in reassurance as they were taken away by mages in masks._ _ _ _ _ _

______Mages from the empire._ _ _ _ _ _

______Edelgard surely notices that Lysithea’s face hardens. “You’re not particularly taken to my offer,” she comments._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I can’t. I can’t do it this way, Your Majesty,” Lysithea says, dipping her head down. She expects Edelgard to cleave it off with an axe that she doesn’t have, but Edelgard only laughs without any humor._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I see. Though I can’t say I’m not disappointed. It would be nice to have someone like you by my side,” Edelgard says wistfully. When Lysithea looks up, Edelgard is still facing her, back to the door. Her face is deceptively blank, and there’s no easy smile to soften it._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You have Hubert,” Lysithea says._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I do, and I’m grateful for him. But he isn’t you. You and I are alike. You understand, most of all, how crests ruin lives.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I do.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“You’ve made up your mind. I’ll spare any apologies, then. The next time we meet, we will surely be enemies.” Edelgard meets her eyes with a steady glance._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I won’t back down,” Lysithea reassures. “I’ll yield only when I die.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Edelgard smiles. “Goodbye, Lysithea.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Thank you for the cake, Your Majesty,” Lysithea says, and bows, like it’s the only thing they talked about._ _ _ _ _ _

______Edelgard vanishes in a ring of dark magic, leaving Lysithea with an empty plate and a bloodstained handkerchief._ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. i wrote this instead of studying 2. im on my crimson flower run rn and i really enjoy their supports... also they are both best girls but every 3h girl is a best girl so


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